Apparatus for moving or shiftng railway-switches.



No. 768,204. A PATENTEDAUG. 23, 1904.

- .L. H. THULLEN. APPARATUS FOR MOVING 0R SHIFTING RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1903.

1m MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

I L. H.-THULLEN. APPARATUS FOR MOVING 0R SHIFTING RAILWAY SWITCHES,

APPLICATION FILED 001. 7, 1903.

ll 1 i I m 4 a 5 N0 MODEL.

1 A I PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904. L. H. THULLEN. A APPARATUS FOR MOVING 0R SHIFTING RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 7, 1903.

no 110mm.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A & 15$.

UNITED STATES j Patented August 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS H. THULLEN, OF EDGEVVOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH. AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SVVISSVALE, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOFi MOVING OR SHIFTING RAILWAY-SWITCHES..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,204, dated A g 23, 1904.

Application filed October '7, 1903. Serial No. 176,085. (No model.)

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain" new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Moving or Shifting Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for mov- 1o ing or shifting from one position to another a part or parts or an appliance adjacent a rail-' road-for example, switch rails or points of a railroad-and for operating the usual par-ts, devlces, or mechanism employed in connec- I5 tion with railway-switches-for example, a

detector bar or bars and looks.

I will describe an apparatus embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View, partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section, of an apparatus embodying.my invention and showing it connected withone of the two usual switch rails or points. A top plate forming part of a cas ing is removed forthe sake of clearness in illustration. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig.

, 3 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a part comprised in the apparatus, the section being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of thepartshown in Fig.

3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, the section being taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical and transverse sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 .is a vertical and transversesectional taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

responding parts. in all of the figures.

A one of the two usual switch rails or points provided at points alonga railroad.

The apparatus for moving or shifting the} switch-rails from one position to another comprlses a motor B, a mechanism D for view Similar letters of reference designate cor shifting or moving the switch-rails, and a clutch O, provided between the motor B and the mechanism D. The motor B is preferably an electric motor, and it may be of any desired type or construction so long as its armature is capable of rotation in reverse directions. The motor is inclosed in a suitable I casing b, suitably secured to a bed or base plate A", and the shaft'b of the armature is suitably journaled in the end walls of the casing b. The mechanism D is inclosed in a suitable form of casing comprising a bottom plate (Z, a top plate cl, and an end plate CF. The casing is suitably secured to the bedplate A by bolts 6F, and the top and bottom plates are spaced apart by bushings cl. The mechanism comprises a motion-plate d, a nut d, by means of which the motion-plate s moved, and a shaft 617, having a screw-threaded part d on which the nut cl works. The

' shaft (Z is suitably journaled in the end plate d and the ball-bearing nut cl also serves as a traveling journal for the screw-threaded part of the shaft. The shaft is also suitably held in the end plate (2 in such manner as to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. The motion-plate is in the form of a hollow casting, it being provided on opposite faces with slots or grooves dfiwhich receive rollers d, carried in a yoke al connected with a rod d, which rod in turn is suitably connected with a rod or bar cl, joined to both switch-rails. Theyoke moves in guides d .providedfor-it in the top and bottom plates d-and d,' and its movement is transverse to the movementof-the motion-plate, the slots cZ -being so arranged as to permit of this.

.The slotsul' are provided with straight portions-at the ends ofits inclined portions, these being provided in order that the motion-plate (Z have no effect on theyoke at the begin- Referring to the drawings, A designates; one of the two lines of rails of a railroad, and;

ning and end ofthe movement of the motion plate, at which timesthe switch-rails are unlocked and locked. The motion-plate'is also I provided with grooves d iextending longitudinally thereof to receive lugs or pro ections providedon the top and bottom plates of the casing- This arrangement is provided in order that the motion-plate have a straight movement in the longitudinal plane of the shaft (Z The end of the motion-plate is suitably connected with a rod F, which in turn is connected by bell-crank or otherlevers with the usual detector bar or bars provided at the switch-rails.

The ball-nut (Wis seated in a recess or pocket provided for it in the motion-plate (Z and it is held in the recess or pocket by a nut d. The nut is preferably a ball-bearing one. As shown, it is provided with an interior screwthreaded recess (Z which receives the screwthreaded portion (i of the shaft (Z Balls are provided between the threads of the nut d and the shaft (Z and a raceway is provided for the balls in the nut, the raceway being formed by longitudinal grooves or recesses (Z (Z and curved grooves (Z d in one end, (Z of the nut and by curved grooves 22 (Z in the other end, (2 of the nut. The ends (Z and (Z are secured to the ends of the nut (Z by bolts d.

The locking of the switch-rails is secured through the motion-plate, it being provided with a cylindrical portion (Z having oppositely-arranged projections (Z26 (Z27, which alternately engage recesses (Z (Z provided on a yoke d connected with the locking-rod (Z which in turn is connected with both switch-rails A. The yoke moves transversely of the motion-plate in guides (Z (Z provided for it in the top and bottom plates, (see Fig.

2,) and it is preferably formed in two parts, which are connected by a bolt or bolts 01.

The adjacent faces of the two parts are toothed or serrated in order that adjustment may be secured in the locking means to meet different throws of switch-rails.

The clutch C is of the friction type and is preferably an electric clutch. It comprises two parts 0 0, one of which, 0, carries an energiZing-coil 0 and the other of which, 0, serves as an armature for the coil 0 The part c is connected with the shaft 1) by a suitable form of universal coupling, the purpose of which is to permit of the transmission of power and motion from the armature-shaft to the shaft (Z though both be not in line. As shown, the universal coupling comprises a collar 0 fast on the shaft 6, a collar 0*, pivoted to the collar 0 and lugs or ears 0 carried by the part 0, which are pivoted to the collar 0*. The part 0 moves on its pivots in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the collar 0 on its pivots. The ends of the coil 0 are joined to contact-rings c 0 carried on a collar 0*, of insulating material, which is fixed on the shaft (Z A suitable casing a is provided for the contact-rings.

, The tractive power of the clutch is nearly proportional up to near the saturation-point to the current traversing the energizing or magnetizing coil 0 which is in series with the motor, and the current is of such strength as to keep the armature (a in" contact with the part c and from slipping under normal conditions. It is desirable that the desired slipping-point of the clutch be at about the saturation-point of the iron composing the magnetic circuit of said clutch, so that any additional current above the predetermined point taken by the motor will but slightly increase the holding power of the clutch. Should ahnormal conditions exist, such, for instance, as a train on or over the detector-bar or any obstruction between a switch-rail and a stockrail A, which would prevent the switch being fully or completely moved, and thereby throw an overload on the motor or an unusual strain on any of the parts of the mechanism l) or the detector-bar, the part (1 will slip on the part c and continue to slip on the part (1 until the overload or obstruction was removed or the circuit of the motor opened.

Any system of control for the motor or clutch, or both, may be employed. Also any system for obtaining an indication oi the complete movement and lockin of the switchrails may be employed.

The operation of the ap1'iaratus brielly stated, is as follows: \Vhen the switch-rails are to be moved from one position to another, current is supplied the motor and clutch. The rotary motion of the armature will be transn'iitted to the shaft d by the clutch (l. The ball-bearing nut will be made to travel on the screw and carry with it the motionplate. The initial movement of the motionplate unlocks the switch-rails by havin either of the projections (1 (1 move out of the recesses (Z d, as the case may be. After the switch-rails have been unlocked the motionplate operates the yoke (1 to move the switchrails, and the final movement of the motionplate locks the rails in the position to which they have been moved. During the unlocking and the movement of the switch-rails the detector-bar is raised above and lowered below the head of the rail, as is well understood in the art. The raceway of the nut 1/ for the balls is so arranged as to have the balls travel as the nut moves along the screw. ln direction of movement of the nut the balls will travel in the raceway in one direction, and in the other direction of movement of the nut the balls will travel in the opposite direction. The switch-rails are moved in one direction by the armature rotating in one direction and operating the mechanism 1) and in the opposite direction by the armature rotating in the reverse direction. In one position of the switchrails (see Fig. 1) the nut (1 will be at one end of the shaft d (see Fig. 2, and in the other position of the switch-rails the nut will be at the other end of the shaft.

By varying the relation of the parts the apparatus herein described may be used for opcrating a signal Various other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatus for moving switch rails v or points from one position to another, the

combination of a motor, a ball-bearing nut operatively connected-with the switch-rails, and an electric clutch intermediate the motor and ball-bearing nut.

or points from one position to another, the

combination of a motor, a ball-bearing nut,

operatively connected with the switch-rails and an electric clutch intermediate the motor and nut.

3. In an apparatus for moving switch-rails, the combination of a motor, and a mechanism connected with the switch-rails and operated thereby, said mechanism comprising 7 an electric clutch.

4. In an apparatus for moving switch-rails from one position to another, the combination of a motor, a mechanism operatively connected with the switch-rails, and an electric clutch, said clutch comprising a part'having a universal connection with a rotating part.

5. In an apparatus'for moving switch-rails from one position to another, the combination of a motor, a ball-bearing nut, a clutchcoupling intermediate the ball-bearing nut and the motor,- a motion-plate movable with said nut and a part connected with the switchrails operated by said motion-plate. I

6. In an apparatus for moving switch-rails from one position to another, the combination of a motor, a ball-bearing nut, a clutchcoupling intermediate the motor and nut, a motion-plate movable with the nut, and a yoke connected with the switch-rails and operated from said motion-plate.

7. In an apparatus for movin switch-rails I from one position to anotl 1er, the combination of a motor, a ball-bearing nut, a connection between the motor and nut and a connection intermediate the nut and switch-rails, and a lock for the switch-rails operated from said n'ut. 2. In an apparatus formoving switch rails van electric coupling between the shaft and armature of the motor.

10. The combination with an electric motor, a screw-threaded shaft, 2. friction-clutch electrically controlled for coupling the armature ofthe motor with the shaft, a nut for the screw-threaded .portion of the shaft and a part moved by said nut. I

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification in the presence of two su b scribing witnesses.

LOUIS H. THULLEN.

Witnesses:

W. L. MCDANIEL, Gno. E. CRUsn. 

